CUMBERLAND - Almost four hours of work by a team of 55 firefighters finally controlled a 2.5-acre brush fire on a power line right of way on Haystack Mountain across from Milnor Avenue in Bowling Green on Thursday morning.

"The cause appears to be related to the power lines, but it is still being investigated," said Randy Kamp of the Maryland Forest Service.

The Bowling Green Volunteer Fire Department was the first responder to the blaze on the steep hillside shortly after 8 a.m.

"A motorist called it in," said Tim Thomas of the Allegany County Office of Emergency Management. "He said it looked like a fireball coming down the power line."

Bowling Green was soon joined by firefighters from Cresaptown, LaVale, Rawlings, Flintstone, Bedford Road, Shaft, Corriganville and District 16.

Kamp said that the heavy rains anticipated to begin Friday afternoon should have a further dousing effect on the fire area.